The Houston Astros are in familiar territory coming out of the All-Star break this year.
Despite the amount of talent and production that was lost from the roster this past offseason, and the obstacles that have been placed in front of them during the season with injuries mounting, the team has continued to win games at an impressive clip.
The Astros were 56-40 heading into the second half of the year, five games clear of the Seattle Mariners in the American League West. Houston started a series with Seattle on Friday.
If Houston wants to remain atop the division and hold off their rivals, they know that there are some areas of the roster which could use some upgrading.
Acquiring a left-handed batter to help balance out the lineup would be ideal, especially with designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, shortstop Jeremy Pena, second baseman Brendan Rodgers and center fielder Jake Meyers all currently on the injured list.
But, the most pressing need for the team is on the mound, where their starting pitching depth has been tested all campaign.
The Astros have lost Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco to season-ending elbow injuries that required Tommy John surgery. They are still waiting on Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and J.P. France, who are all rehabbing from long-term injuries.
That has put a lot of pressure on Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown to carry the load for the starring rotation, and more often than not, they have been up for the task.
However, to make a deep run in the postseason, Houston needs another pitcher they can rely on as the No. 3 in the rotation.
One player who could fit the bill is Edward Cabrera of the Miami Marlins.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has named the Astros as the best landing spot for him, since he checks all of the boxes the team is looking for.
“…he has long had some of the best pure stuff in the majors. The 27-year-old has an upper 90s fastball, terrific changeup and a curveball generating a 41.1 percent whiff rate, and he has club control through 2028,” he wrote.
Houston has a history of getting the most out of pitchers with dominant stuff and taking their production to another level.
Cabrera would be a fun pitcher for the coaching staff to get their hands on, since he is already producing at an impressive level.
He has a 3.61 ERA across 82.1 innings with 86 strikeouts. Plagued by some wildness previously, he has a 3.1 BB/9 ratio, an impressive cutback from the 4.7 he has registered in his career.
The Astros farm system is thin, so matching up on a trade could present some difficulties, but Cabrera would be the perfect addition to the team, upgrading things presently and providing insurance in case Valdez departs in free agency this upcoming offseason.